Posts Tagged ‘Malt’

When I watch Mad Men I get jealous. Not of the world they lived in. With the amount of tumultuous changes and some of the gut wrenching set backs of the 60’s, it would have been hard to just relax and have a good time. Besides that, there was no cellphones and nothing on television half as good as Mad Men. It was not the seemingly widely available and often promiscuous women either. I am totally intimidated by the opposite sex. What they did seem to have was fully stocked bar at all times. It clearly does not seem to matter where the characters on Mad Men are they all appear to be constantly surrounded by the best single malt scotches, vodkas, gins, and whatever other high quality brands of booze were around.

It was as if they were all in a perpetual state of casually drunk, not often hammered into the wall by a bottle of single malt scotch whiskey. Instead these old cads coast from room to room, business meeting to business meeting, social event to home, always with a glass of single malt scotch or a Crown Royal whiskey. They always seem to manage. Obviously living in that kind of reality would get unhealthy but it is fun to dream.

Also, just because you are not tossing back a bottle of Grey Goose vodka by 3 pm does not mean you can’t have a fully stocked bar in your home or office. Having a drink or even a few is a classy act and a great opportunity to share with a guest or potential business partners and clients. Having a bar loaded to the gills with Glenfiddich, Chivas Regal, Jack Daniels Whiskey, Disaronno Amaretto, Macallan Scotch, Glenlivet Scotch, and all the other brands everyone loves can make you the champion at throwing parties or just of entertaining a few choice friends.

A fully stocked bar is a thing to get excited about. It is one of the many indicators that you have arrived as an adult. Being a grown up is not all good but these kinds of exciting pleasant for all parties involved milestones definitely are. I love a good drink and I love a good bottle of liquor. Each one seems to tell a story, if not about its self than about you and where you have had it, how it affected the night who you were with. Why not stock your liquor cabinet with some memories?

Our story begins in 1907, when famous explorer Ernest Shackleton contacted the Glen Mhor Distillery to request twenty-five cases of their Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt – a ten year old whisky which was recognized as one of the classic Highland malts of its day. The distillery was happy to oblige and even created a commemorative label to honor the event, which read “Specially prepared for the British Antarctic Expedition 1907 – Ship Endurance”. You see, at that time Shackleton was planning to change the name of his ship from “Nimrod” to “Endurance”, but he eventually lost interest in the idea. However, time was a factor so in August 1907, Shackleton departed from London on the Nimrod, with the mislabeled “Endurance” whisky safely stored beneath the decks.

The Nimrod arrived in Antarctica’s McMurdo Sound on January 29th, 1908. Landing at Cape Royds, the team battled difficult conditions for days as they struggled to build shelter and bring their equipment and supplies to shore. When they were finally established at their base camp, the team began their scientific work and started planning their long journey to both the South Pole and the Magnetic South Pole. Shackleton and three team members departed in November 1908 and began the difficult march south – a journey which brought the men to the edge of starvation. They ultimately fall short of their goal by less than 100 miles. However, the legendary leadership skills of Shackleton ensured that all four men returned safely and were back on board the Nimrod by early March 1909. As the winter sea ice began to form and the blizzards returned, the expedition hurriedly sailed for home, leaving behind many of their belongings – including several crates of the Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt.

Now fast forward to February 2007, when two crates of whisky were discovered in Antarctica by a team from the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust – a group dedicated to preserving the history of the region. Although the discovery sparked the interest of numerous world organizations, the crates could not be removed from Antarctica due to international protocols. So the crates remained encased in ice until early 2010, when the Antarctic Heritage Trust was granted permission to remove one of the cases. It was quickly rushed to the Canterbury Museum where it took two weeks to fully defrost and stabilize the whisky. After completing a detailed analysis of the package, it was deemed that the whisky was the very same Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt that was distilled in 1897 and bottled in 1907 exclusively for Ernest Shackletons’ Nimrod expedition to Antarctica.In January 2011, three bottles of this rare whiskey were returned to Whyte & Mackay, the owners of the Mackinlay brand. It was transferred by private jet to the Whyte & Mackay’s Invergordon Spirit Laboratory, where Master Blender Richard Paterson, and his expert team spent several weeks in the laboratory nosing, tasting and deconstructing the whisky to reveal its true heritage. Aside from identifying the various aromas and flavors, this rigorous analysis proved that the whisky was 47.3% alcohol, was aged in American white oak sherry casks, and the peat used for the malting originated in the Orkney Islands.

Inspired by their analysis, the team embarked on the challenge of recreating this rare whisky, and the result is exceptional. This painstaking reproduction of the original is an intricate blend of Speyside (Longmorn, Benriach, Glenfarclas, Mannochmore, Tamnavulin and Glenrothes), Highland (Balblair and Pulteney) and Jura malts which have been carefully selected for their specific flavor profiles. This masterful combination is composed of malts varying in age from eight to thirty years old, which have been married in the finest sherry butts. The resulting spirit is complex, aromatic and refined, offering delicate notes of crushed apple, pear and fresh pineapple complemented by smoke, vanilla, caramel, nutmeg and oak. The bottle and packaging have also been recreated down to the last detail – bubbles in the glass make each bottle unique, while the labels incorporate hand-lettering and labeling techniques from the early 20th century. Only 50,000 bottles were produced, so add Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt to your collection today.

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whisky is barely enough” – Mark Twain

Every lover of malt whisky sooner or later becomes a connoisseur and a collector to some extent, which often is a natural journey of discovery into the world of Malt Whisky. Uisge Beatha – a unique concept to showcase finest single malts of Scotland, is one of the catalysts of the journey.

Uisge Beatha is a scot Gaelic word for ‘aqua vitae – water of life’ from which the word whisky is derived and is pronounced as ISHKA – BAHA. The concept sought to demystify the complex world of malt whisky for new consumers and engage them in learning about the origins, get expert advice on malts and tasting the myriad flavours of whisky. The concept went on to win the coveted industry honour of Best Speciality Concept Frontier Award at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.

Thereon, several airports introduced the concept at their duty free shops with their nuances, including the duty free shop in Delhi, India. This showcases malt whisky from Scotland and offers to customers and malt connoisseurs an overwhelming choice and unique experience. Even a booklet representing the entire range, complete with tasting notes and advice has been developed which are given away to passengers who take a keen interest in Malts.

Malt Whisky is a unique drink produced with passion, bottled and aged with exceptional care by true craftsmen giving it a distinctive character and a special experience enjoyed by millions of people all over the world. To the whisky connoisseur, single malts are quite simply the crème de la crème of whisky, the epitome of quality, luxury and exclusivity.

Primarily Malt Whisky has three ingredients – water, barley and yeast. Sugar is extracted out of the barley by letting it grow a bit and then mill it. Then water is added to it and the sugar is drained out. The sugar liquid is then added to yeast which is further cooked, distilled and matured. And Scottish malts come mainly from four main regions within Scotland – Speyside, Highland, Lowlands and Islay.Every malt at Uisge Beatha is unique with its rich history, encased in beautiful bottles that simply provide one of the fascinating and indulgent experiences. Some of the finest malts are available at Uisge Beatha, like the Cardhu, Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker Green Label, the Glenlivet, Caol Ila, Taliskar, Scapaand many more.

The Uisge Beatha also stocks some of most expensive and best crafted malts aged with care, like the Highland Park Vintage, Macallan Limited Edition, Glengoyne, Dalmore, Auchentoshan 50 YO, Bowmore and more. This unique single malt platform brings to table the best from the world of whisky and also offers a chance to know, learn and grow for the malt lovers.

The journey of discovering malts is endless, one which once you embark on, we are sure you’ll enjoy!

Glengoyne Distillery is renowned as the most attractive distillery in Scotland. Located in close proximity to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, this beautiful distillery lies on the picturesque A81 and is a mere 15 miles north of Glasgow.

Glengoyne Distillery is well known for manufacturing an exceptional single malt scotch whisky for a period of more than 200 years. The name of the distillery has derived from Glen Guin or in other words Glen of the Wild Geese. Occupying a peaceful location, the distillery lies close to a small beautiful river that flows to Loch Lomond.

This unique and fascinating Scotch whisky manufacturing base is set amidst a wooded valley towards the southern Highlands of Scotland. The buildings that house the distillery are exceptionally smart with whitewashed walls. It is similarised to a white Jewel set beneath the beautiful Campsie Hills by the entrance to the Highlands.

This world famous distillery offers its visitors various types of factory tours that suit any type of budget. For instance, the Glengoyne Tour welcomes the visitor with a shot of the 10 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky. This informative and exciting guided tour also includes a brief video presentation and ends at the Slainte Mhath Shop.

The Wee Tasting Tour includes the Glengoyne Tour along with the chance to taste the 17 year old award winning Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky. One of the most amazing tours at the Glengoyne Distillery is the Tasting Tour that starts off with a welcome dram of the 10 year and 12 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky. It also features an informative yet brief video presentation and an interesting guided tour around the distillery.

Other exciting tours include Cask Tasting Tour, Master Blender Session where visitors will get the chance to churn out their very own blended whisky. All this and more can be enjoyed and experienced at the world renowned Glengoyne Distillery. Visitors can easily plan their stay at a nearby Glasgow Hotel such as Millennium Hotel Glasgow and further explore this fascinating world class whiskey manufacturing base.

Glenfiddich is in the midst of a million-dollar re-branding campaign that centers on the crystal stag sculpture.Crafted by Chris Blade and Katya Filmus at the National Glass Centre at the University of Sunderland in England,each sculpture is made by the cire perdue method from 50 kilograms of 24% lead crystal glass that replicates the deer’s head which forms the Glenfiddich emblem. It sits atop a gondola display with the distillery’s core range of single malt expressions arranged in a spiral point-of-sale.Following similar displays erected at London Heathrow and Frankfurt airports, the third in the series was recently unveiled in Dubai, with a total of 21 examples set for proliferation at travel retail locations around the world.Johnnie Walker, J&B, Bells and Black& White are all very popular brands of scotch whiskey and they are part of Diageos valuable portfolio. The company has been under pressure to fulfill the growing demand for scotch around the world even though they already own and operate 27 distilleries. To overcome this gap between the demand and supply Diageo have established the enormous Roseisle distillery.Some people might disagree with the concept and call it the industrialization of scotch whiskey production. The long experience and expertise of running a large number of distilleries has gone into creating the Roseisle distillery. It cost Diageo 40 million to build, employs 25 workers and encompasses 3,000 square meters of space. It has a very modern look and is expected to produce 10 million liters of whisky each year through fourteen new stills crafted by the coppersmiths at Abercrombie, Alloa.The Speyside facility was built not to replace the individual distilleries under the Diageo umbrella, but to supplement them, in response to increased market demand which those distilleries have been struggling to meet. The spirits produced here will be used in the entire range of blended whisky produced by Diageo. For the time being there are no plans of bottling any single malt whisky in the new facility.Leading independent distiller William Grant & Sons recently unveiled a new, limited edition 40yo expression of The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whiskey at the recent TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore.Limited to just 150 bottles, the 40-year-old expression of The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, aged in sherry casks and refill hogshead hit the markets July 4 with each one priced at around ,947.According to Malt Master David Stewart, this is the first time they have created a 40yo for The Balvenie .The whiskies used in this expression date from the mid 1960s, and it was important to take their time to find the right mix of casks and get this new expression right.Each limited edition bottle is being offered in a bespoke wooden case, hand crafted in oak by Sam Chinnery, a celebrated Scottish craftsman.Auchentoshan’s Head Distiller Jeremy Stephens has released a limited edition single malt, a 12-year-old bottling from 1998 to have nothing short of a grand festival – featuring whisky tastings, live music and cooking classes -this year as well.Limited to just 200 bottles, the 12-year-old bottling from 1998, matured in Sherry casks and bottled at cask strength will be offered at apiece, each individually numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.In fact, you will also be offered the chance to bottle your own Auchentoshan straight from the cask. Your bottle will be filled from a cask which has been specifically selected due to its excellent quality and exceptional flavours.

Everyone knows real men drink single malt whiskey. William Faulkner once said, “There is no such thing as bad whiskey. Some whiskeys just happen to be better than others.” Whether you prefer Chivas Regal or Johnnie Walker Red, you can take that delicious whiskey and make one mean mixed drink. (The word “cocktail” just doesn’t sound masculine enough.) So if you’re not tough enough to handle a straight shot of Jack Daniels whiskey or you just want some variety, try some of these recipes.

Whiskey Sour – It doesn’t get anymore simple or classic as this drink. Mix 3 parts whiskey, 2 parts fresh lemon juice, and 1 part Gomme syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or an orange slice.

Manhattan – Another classic drink that cannot be passed up. It happens to be one of the oldest cocktails and it was one of the first cocktails to use vermouth as a modifier. There are several variations but the traditional recipe is 2 ounces of rye whiskey, 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth, and 2-3 dashes of bitters. Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry. To make a dry Manhattan, add a dash of dry vermouth and garnish with a lemon twist. A perfect Manhattan will use equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.

Mint Julep – Want a taste of the South? A Mint Julep is the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby and about 80,000 are served during the race. Put 4-5 mint sprigs and 1/2 ounce of simple syrup into a double old-fashioned glass and muddle the ingredients. Then add 2 and 1/2 ounces of bourbon and fill with crushed ice. Stir well and garnish with a mint sprig.

Rusty Nail – This mixed drink might not sound appealing but it makes for one great scotch drink. You can vary up this recipe by trying different single malt scotch brands. It’s very simple to make. Just pour 1 and 1/2 ounces of your favorite scotch and 3/4 ounces of Drambuie into an old-fashioned glass with ice. Stir well and garnish with a lemon twist. You can add less Drambuie to decrease the sweetness of the drink.

Rob Roy – You might have heard your grandfather order this drink. It’s not something you hear people ordering everyday. However, if you enjoyed the Manhattan and like Scotch whiskey, then you’ll have no problem sipping on this one. Pour 1 and 1/2 ounces of Scotch, ¼ ounce of sweet vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass. Stir well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

John Collins – Related to Tom Collins, but this one prefers bourbon. Pour 1 and 1/2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce lemon juice, and 1/2 ounce sugar syrup into a Collins glass with ice. Stir thoroughly and top with club soda. Garnish it with a cherry and orange slice. You can also replace the lemon juice and syrup with sour mix if you prefer.

Variety is the spice of life so try one of these delicious cocktails. It won’t make you any less manly as long as there is fine tasting whiskey in it!

The Whiskey Place is your source for single malt scotch whiskey by legendary distilleries such as Glenmorangie, Glenfiddich, and Glenrothes.